Dipayal, September 5

The locals at Tikha of Silgadi Municipality have been compelled to borrow drinking water for survival in Doti.

The municipality was declared an Open Defecation Free zone some two months ago. However, shortage of drinking water has posed a challenge to the government’s ODF campaign. As many as 512 households of Tikha depend on a public spout as there is no water source in the area.

The local women have to wait their turn in a long queue at the spout since early morning. “The line of women queued to fetch water continues till midnight,” said a local, Chandra Bahadur BK. He further said that the women sometimes engaged in quarrels while waiting for their turns at the spout.

Ward Civil Forum Chairman Sita Khadka said they were embarrassed at being unable to offer water to thirsty guests. “We cannot carry out daily activities like sanitation due to lack of water,” she added. Though every household in the area built toilets as per the ODF campaign, the toilets have remained useless due to the lack of water.

The water crisis has also adversely affected new mothers at Tikha Sub-health Post. In-charge at the sub-health post, Tej Bahadur Khadka, said they could not provide service at the health post amid the ongoing water crisis.